From Reactive to Proactive: A Global Approach to Vector-Borne Disease Preparedness in Europe
A new study published in The Lancet Regional Health – Europe calls for urgent, proactive action to address Europe’s growing threat of vector-borne diseases (VBDs)—highlighting lessons learned from endemic regions worldwide. The research, led by the Global Health Resilience group at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC-CNS), brings together experts from 13 countries across four continents. Several E4Warning partners contributed to the study, reinforcing the project’s commitment to cross-sectoral and international collaboration.
The paper addresses the growing risks posed by climate change, urbanisation, and invasive species such as Aedes albopictus, which are extending transmission seasons and raising the likelihood of disease outbreaks including West Nile virus, dengue, leishmaniasis, and tick-borne encephalitis. In response to these escalating threats, the study emphasizes that Europe must move from reactive responses to proactive, forward-looking strategies. This shift must be grounded in cross-border collaboration, long-term planning, and the integration of local knowledge into health policies. Community-level awareness and engagement are key to ensuring that control measures are both effective and socially accepted.
Citizen science, especially in digitally connected regions, can enhance surveillance and public participation, though it requires overcoming barriers to innovation and data sharing. The study also promotes community-based interventions (CBIs), drawing on successful examples like Brazil’s “Boot Out” campaign, which combined public awareness with practical waste removal efforts. Adapting interventions across Europe requires attention to cultural, legal, and ecological differences, and the authors stress the need to expand asymptomatic and serological surveillance to improve preparedness and early response capacity.
To meet these goals, the authors propose a multi-sectoral “Intervention Toolkit” tailored to European realities, drawing on experiences from countries with long-standing expertise in managing VBDs.
The toolkit includes five key pillars:
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Clinical case and risk management
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Integrated vector surveillance and control
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Adapting the built and natural environment to reduce vector habitats
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Data harmonisation and development of decision support tools
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Community engagement, including citizen science platforms
“We propose here five key areas where Europe could and is integrating knowledge from endemic settings on vector and disease control, and advocate for the importance of cross-country knowledge sharing partnerships and integration at the public and policy level,” said Gina Charnley, BSC researcher and first author of the study.
By combining inclusive governance and transdisciplinary knowledge-sharing, the study outlines a clear pathway toward more resilient and equitable public health systems in Europe and beyond. Yet, limited resources and shifting priorities across sectors often hinder implementation, however, moving forward, long-term cross-border collaboration, data harmonisation, and meaningful integration of local and indigenous knowledge will be critical to turning these strategies into lasting, impactful solutions.
Read the full-open access here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lanepe.2025.101271.
Charnley, G. E. C., Alcayna, T., Almuedo-Riera, A., Antoniou, C., Badolo, A., Bartumeus, F., Boodram, L.-L., Bueno-Marí, R., Codeço, C., Coelho, F. C., Costa, F., Cox, H., Haddad, N., Ab Hamid, N., Kittayapong, P., Korukluoğlu, G., Michaelakis, A., Maciel-de-Freitas, R., Montalvo, T., Muñoz, J., Sauleda Oliveras, S., Palmer, J. R. B., Barboza Pizard, C. J., Ribeiro, G. S., & Lowe, R. (2025). Strengthening resilience to emerging vector-borne diseases in Europe: Lessons learnt from countries facing endemic transmission. The Lancet Regional Health – Europe, 53, 101271. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lanepe.2025.101271.
